Panel board



H. G. BAXTER Jul [1, 1930.

PANEL BOARD Filed June 8, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR Harold GBaxter.

. Y M ATTORNEY y 1, 1930. H. G. BAXTER 1,768,879

PANEL BOARD Filed June 8, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 3.

INVENTOR Harold G. Baxter.

7 ATTORNEY Patented July 1, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ELBOLD G.BAXTEB, OF BAL'D'WIN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOB TO WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC &MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A

CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA PANEL Bonn Application filed June 8,

My invention relates to distributing panel boards and articularly topanel boards of the type used in electric-current-distributing systemsfor houses, apartments and the like.

5 One object of my invention is to provide a distributing panel whereinthe insulating switch and fuse bases may be combined to constitute acomposite insulating panel unit wherein, by providing an insulatingswitch base and two forms of insulating fuse bases that may beassociated with a switch base, a large variety of panel-boardconstructions may be built up by utilizing the three insulating basesmentioned.

Another object of my invention is to provide a distributing panelwherein three standard insulating base units may be used to mountswitches and fuses of either the screw-plu type or the cartridge typeand :0 wherein t e desired base combination may be assembled as a unitbefore being placed in the panel housing.

Another object of my invention is to provide a distributing panel thatis com act as and attractive in appearance and whic is inexpensive tomanufacture, by reason of the unit structure thereof. 7

These and other objects that will be made apparent throughout thefurther description to of my invention are attained by means of thepanel apparatus hereinafter described, and illustrated in theaccompanying draw-' ings herein.

Figure 1 is a transverse section throu h a 1927. Serial No. 197,390.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a panel assembly showing a modified combinationof panel blocks, and

Fig. 6 is a transverse section through the panel unit shown in Fig. 5that is enclosed within a housing.

Referring to the drawings and particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, thedistributing panel comprises a metal housing 6 having a bottom wall 7side walls 8 and a detachable front trim 9 that is secured to frontflange 11 of the side and end walls of the housing. The trim is providedwith the usual opening 12 that is .closed by a hinged door havin anopening 4 that is closed by a hing door 5. I

Adjacent to the bottom wall 7 of the housing, a sheet-metal pan 13 ismounted in such manner that it may be adjusted toward the front or rearof the panel housing, the manner of adjustment not being shown becausethe adjustment device constitutes no part of the present invention.

The pan 13 is provided with marginal flanges 14 which prevent distortionthereof, and the insulating switch blocks 15 are mounted upon the panand secured thereto by means of screws 16 and 17.

Each insulating switch base 15 is provided with a set of switch contactterminals 18 that are secured to the base by screws 19, and" thefrontface of the base is provided with a mounting seat 21 for receiving afuse-panel block to be hereinafter described.

As illustrated in Fig. 1, two different typ's of fuse blocks are shownassociated withthe same dlstrlb'utin panel, but, since the bottomportions of t e fuse bases 22and 23 are designed to fit upon themounting seats 21 of the switch blocks 15, distributing panels may bebuilt up upon the switch bases for accommodating fuses of either thescrew plug or the cartridge type.

The fuse base 22 is secured by screws 26 to the switch base before thelatter is placed within the housing. The screws 26 serve to conductivelyconnect the terminals 27 with the switch contact terminals 18. The innerend of the fuse base 22 is rovided with a vertical'wall or barrier 28 tat serves as an insulating panel between the fuse rece tacles 27 and theswitch mechanism to be ereinafter described. The outer end of the fusebase 22 is provided with an extension 29 con stituting a vertical wallthat is divided into three parts by slots 31 within which the fuseterminals 32 are mounted. The trim 9 ad'acent the opening 12 therein isprovided with depending flange 33 that extends inwardly and engages theouter face of the wall 29 and preclu the housing, through the opening12.

The fuse base 23, for accommodatin a screw plug fuse 25, is shown on therig thand side of Figs. land 2. The base is designed to fit on themounted seat 21 .of the switch block 15 and is attached thereto, beforeassembly within the housing, by means of screws 35 that serve to securethe shell 36 of the fuse receptacle to the base and to conductivelyconnect the shell to a switch contact 18. The block is provided withcircular recesses37 in which-the screw shell 36 is mounted, and notches38in the end wall of the base communicate with the recesses 37 andprovide a recess for the fuse terminals 39 to which the load circuitsare connected by the terminalscrews 41. The outer face of the block 23is notch 42 for receiving a depending flange 43 that is secured to thetrim 9 adjacent to the opening 12. The flange 43 serves to preventaccess to the wiring gutter 34 through the opening 12 in the trim.

The switch 44 is'of the tumbler type hav-- ing a frame 45 that isattached to a cover plate'46 by screws 47, the ,0 rating handle 48 ofthe switch extending t rough a slot 49 in the cover plate 46. 4

The inner end of the frame 45 extends into a recess 51 in the outer faceof the switch block 15, the recess bein fluted as at 52, and

as access to the wiring gutter 34 of provided with a transverse the busbars (not shown) which extend lon tudinally of the panel housing. Accessto t 0 bus bars is prevented b means of a cover plate 57 that rests uponthe inner ends of the cover plates 46 and is attached to the housing bymeans of brackets 58 adjacent to the ends of the housing.

By reason of the panel-unit construction above described, onl the switchhandles 48 are accessible throug the opening in the door 5. In order togain access to the fuses, the main door 10 must be opened and, in orderto gain acces to the wiring gutters 34, the trim 9 must be removed.

It will be apparent from the forego' that, by using combinations of theswitc block and the fuse blocks, any desired panel construction of thetype, now in commercial use may be assembled. For instance, an assemblyshown in Fig. 3 provides a fuse panel wherein cartridge-type fuses areused on the left-hand side of the panel, and screw-plu fuses are used onthe nght side of the pane In this assembly, the fuse blocks 22 and 23are mounted directly upon the pan 13, the blocks being separated toprovide a space 61 in which metering bars 62 are mounted upon insulatingsupports 63.

' The fuse terminals 27 and 36 of the cartridge and screw-plug fusereceptacles, respectively, are connected to the bus bars 62 by links 64that extend inwardl from the under faces of the fuse blocks. he space 61is closed by means of acover 65 that extends longitudinally of the panelhousing and WllICh is secured in position upon the bracket 66 carried bythe pan 13.

In Figs. 5 and 6, I have illustrated a switch and fuse-distributingpanel somewhat similar to that illustrated in Figs. 1, and 2, with theexception that the switch bases 15 are disposed in closer relation butspaced a suflicient distance to provide a space 67 in which a neutralbus bar 68 is mounted. The feed bars 69 and 7l are disposed in recesses72 it'being understood that the recesses 72 of each associated switchblock are aligned to permit the feed bus 'bars 69 and 71 to extendtransversely of the blocks and longitudinally of the housing.

- In this construction, both rows of fuse panel blocksare of thescrew-plu type. In other respects, the assembly is similar to that shownin Fi 1 and 2.

The assem ly shown in Fig. 5 illustrates the manner in which the switchand fuse blocks are mounted upon the pan 13, and the disposition of thebusbars with respect to the panel blocks. An auxiliary insulating base 73 is mounted upon v the pan 13 and is provided with fuse receptacles 74for receiv- .1n main fuses of the cartridge'type.

n assembling a complete panel unit, th fuse blocks are first assembledupon the inthe blocks, as illustrated in the figure. This constructionis of particular advantage in that standard parts of the distributingpanels above described may be used and, since all of the parts arerelatively compact and of small dimensions, they ma readily be molded ofinsulating'compoun with a minimum of breakage. Where switch and fuseblocks of one piece have been employed, it has been found that thebreakage losses are considerable in themolding process. By reducing thesize of the molde units, the breakage losses are practically eliminated.

I claim as my invention:

1. A distributing panel comprising a supporting plate, an insulatingswitch-base unit for a switch mounted upon the plate and having amounting seat on its outer face, a fuse-base unit for a fuse mountedupon the said seat and an attaching means extendin through both unitsand attached to the sad plate for securing the said units in assembledrelation upon the plate.

2. A combined switch and fuse unit comprising an insulating base havingswitch contact terminals thereon, a com lementar insulating fuse basehaving se terminals thereon, a bracket on the first said base, a coverplate having a movable switch for engaging the said switch contacmembers and mounted upon the bracket an the said fuse base, and meansconnecting a fuse terminal and a contact terminal.

3. A combined switch and fuse unit comprising an insulating base havingswitch contact terminals thereon, a complementary insulating base for afuse associated with the first said base to constitute a compositeswitch and fuse unit, a bracket on the first said base, a cover plate,and a movable switch mounted thereon for engaging the said contactterminals, the said cover plate being detachably mounted upon the saidbracket and the said fuse base. I

4. A combinedswitchand fuse unit comprising an insulating base havingswitch contact terminals thereon; a complementary'insulating base. for afuse associated with the first said base to constitute a compositeswitch and fuse unit, a bracket on the first said base, a. cover plate,and a movable switch mounted thereon for engaging the said contactterminals, the said cover plate being de,- tachably mounted upon thebases.

.5. A distributing anel comprising a supporting plate, a palm of s acedinsulating switch bases, a pair of insu ating fuse bases mounted on theouter ends of the switch bases,

